Worship and spiritual authority

Worship is for God Himself, not the means to get to something else (Exodus 34:14; Psalm 29:2; 86:9; 95:6; 96:9; 99:9; 132:7; Daniel 7:14). True worship finds its culmination in Christ Himself. Singing is for God, not the warm-up for the sermon.

·  Are you depressed of heart or burdened with a sorrowful soul? Worship him!

·  Worship takes your eyes off your navel and onto his glory.

In worship, we get God’s perspective. When we worship, our lives move from man-centered, problem-centered, need-centered, or comfort-centered to centered on Christ (Psalm 63:1-2; 73:16-17).

·  Is there a major decision before you and not sure what to do? Worship him!

·  Worship reconfigures our way of looking at things to His vantage point.

Worship is keeping covenant. Those who keep his covenant worship Him (Isaiah 56:6-7). Authority comes through covenant. Worship of other ‘gods’ is covenant-breaking which brings judgment (2 Kings 17:38; 2 Chronicles 7:22; 24:18; Jeremiah 1:16).

·  Do you sense distance in your relationship with Christ? Worship him!

·  Worship rekindles your relationship with Christ.

Worship is a priestly function. As believer priests, it is not just our joy, but our job to worship Christ. The Levitical priests did it (Exodus 19:5-6; Deuteronomy 10:8; Leviticus 44:15), and we are a kingdom of priests (1 Peter 2:9; Revelation 1:6).

·  Have you lost direction about your place and role in Christ’s Body? Worship him!

·  Worship re-centers you on your giftings and callings in the church.

Worship opens the door for evangelism. In the context of a discussion about worship, Jesus reveals himself and turns toward the harvest (John 4:25-26, 35-36).

·  Do you have lost friends and family? Worship him!

·  Worship invites the Holy Spirit’s work of conviction and removal of spiritual blinders.

Worship has a spiritual warfare function (2 Kings 17:39; Daniel 7:27). Joshua bowed to worship the Captain of the Lord of Hosts and Jericho fell (Joshua 5:14-15; 6:2). Gideon bowed in worship, and then returned to the camp to say, “Arise, the Lord has given the enemy into our hands” (Judges 7:15). King Jehoshaphat put the singers and musicians out in front of the army, and God destroyed three enemy armies before they could get to the battlefield (2 Chronicles 20:22).

·  Does it seem like you are under spiritual attack and the hordes of hell are surrounding you and yours? Worship Him!

·  Worship announces the devil’s defeat and celebrates the Lord’s victory.